If abruptly changing federal policy becomes a recurring feature, state and local governments will need to adjust how they govern, not just how they budget.
Some mayors openly challenge federal actions while others pursue quiet cooperation to protect resources for their constituents.
Citing rising SNAP and public benefits fraud, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley says the new position will centralize investigations and increase prosecutions.
The state will need to reform its antiquated tax code, warily approach bond measures that tie the hands of policymakers, and get serious about spending oversight.
Oklahoma puts its tobacco settlement funds in a trust, spending only the interest. The strategy has had long-term public health benefits.
Local leaders lay out practical steps to stabilize funding and streamline assistance before the next crisis hits.
Despite more than $543 million in bets in December, heavy promotional deductions left the state with roughly $521,000 in tax receipts.
Districts that once celebrated a historic funding increase now face deficits driven by rising costs and falling enrollment.
An Urban Institute analysis tracked growth in median household income between 1970 and 2023. State rates range from negative to nearly 80 percent.
As federal aid shrinks in 2026, wide disparities in sales tax reliance highlight the limits and risks of leaning more heavily on consumption taxes.
A market crash doesn’t seem imminent, but there are lessons for public financiers, pension funds and policymakers from collapses of the past.
With pandemic-era aid gone and long-term structural challenges looming, 2026 budget debates will test lawmakers’ ability to balance short-term gaps and future risk.
They should take steps to protect and boost their own revenues. And they should take a second look at their own tax cuts.
Small schools with minimal staff face hundreds of hours of work to satisfy the Education Department’s new reporting requirement tied to post-affirmative-action scrutiny.
The number of people buying health plans on Obamacare insurance marketplaces is down by about 833,000 compared with a year ago, according to federal data released this week.
Unlike federal DOGE, the Montgomery County office doesn’t envision layoffs becoming part of its mission.
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